U.S. completes sprinting sweep

SEVILLE, Spain -- Maurice Greene did his best imitation of Carl Lewis. Inger Miller did her best imitation of Marion Jones.

By doing so, the two training partners won the 200-meter dashes at the World Championships Friday night, giving the United States a sweep of the short sprints.

Greene, winner of the 100-meter title earlier, became the first sprinter to win the 100 and 200 at a major global meet since Lewis swept both at the 1984 Olympics. His time was a season-best 19.90 seconds.

Miller outshone the more renowned Jones, winner of the 100 who was missing in the 200 after pulling up in the semifinals with back spasms and cramps, winning in 21.77. It was the world's fastest time this year and the best of her career.

Afterwards, the two teammates embraced warmly, with both in tears.

''Inger and me got very close this week,'' Greene said. ''We came here to do a job. She stood by me when I won the 100. We achieved what we came here to do.''

The emotional Greene also embraced his coach, John Smith, and manager Emmanuel Hudson, and was hugged by the championships' mascot, dressed in a green cartoon costume.

Greene then was handed a bag of T-shirts bearing his picture and his nickname, ''phonoMOnon.'' As he took his victory lap around the track, he tossed the shirts into the stands.

Greene had a couple of other emotional moments. The first was on the victory stand, where he broke down during the national anthem. ''Those were tears of joy,'' he said.

Greene also cried on the podium in 1997 when he won his first 100 title. He was even more emotional this time ''because for me to come here and win the 100 was great, but to try something I had never done before (the double) and put my body in a place it's never been before was exciting.''

The second time Greene became emotional Friday was in the interview room. ''I'm still crying inside,'' he said. ''This is something I've been dreaming of as a child.''

He said he treasured his 200 gold more than the 100 because it was his first at that distance.

''After I saw Inger win, I knew I had to go out there and do it for the team,'' Greene said.

Greene was helped by the absence of two of the world's top sprinters. His teammate, Ato Boldon, the 1997 world champion, and Namibia's Frankie Fredericks, the Olympic silver medalist in the 100 and 200, were both out with injuries. Fredericks made the final but withdrew with a nerve injury in his left hamstring.

Miller showed her emotions on the track. When she realized she was the winner, she rotated her hands back and forth like a boxer, then lay down on the track and went into a series of bicycle kicks.

''I didn't expect to run that fast,'' Miller said after lowering her personal record by .33 seconds. ''My goal was to win gold, and I did that.

''Then I ran an exceptional PR. I looked first to make sure it was me. It's unbelievable.

''It's not a one-woman show anymore.''

That was a reference to Jones, who had dominated the sprints until she was injured. Jones was No. 1 in the world in both the 100 and 200 last year, and had the fastest times this year.